Payroll Accounting Fraud

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Fraud Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

A former accountant for the University of Sioux Falls has been indicted for wire fraud for reportedly collecting more than $25,200 in unearned paychecks. Brent Alan Fowler, 52, faces 20 counts of wire fraud for individual payroll deposits.

Questions:
1. What is the potential jail time for Mr. Fowler, if he receives the maximum punishment?
2. Hypothesize how Mr. Fowler committed this fraud. Explain.
3. Citing the fraud triangle, what are some of the reasons that he may have for committing this fraud?
4. Assuming that Mr. Fowler had a supervisor, what red flags could he or she have taken note of?
5. What internal controls were probably missing?

Source:
Hult, J. (2014) Former USF accountant indicted for wire fraud. Argus Leader, Sep. 10 (Retrievable online at http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/2014/09/10/former-usf-accountant-indicted-wire-fraud/15396541/)
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